What is a WiFi Extender and How Does It Work?

A Wi-Fi signal booster or extender extends WiFi network coverage space by boosting or amplifying existing signals. A wifi extender enables all wireless devices within that expanded coverage space to connect to internet or similar wireless network. It is unique solution that works by pulling in an existing weak Wi-Fi from transmitter. It then amplifies it before broadcasting the transmission to more spaces where needed. The WiFi signal booster helps to efficiently extend your current Wi-Fi network in the process reaching multiple floors in a building, all the corners of a home and even your yard, office or home. 

Since you’re reading this, there may be times in your office or home when you might have noticed certain rooms or areas hardly have any Wi-Fi. With a WiFi booster, the wireless coverage will be boosted to cover larger areas of need. As a result, you will enjoy better internet usage speeds as well as other extra benefits that will be clarified below. We have two very powerful Wi Fi boosters and extenders: Fusion 7 Wi-Fi extender & booster (Consumer Grade) for up to 20,000 sq. ft. coverage, and Force 7 Wi Fi booster & extender (Commercial Grade) for up to 80,000 sq. ft. reception improvement. In addition, these boost all cell service provider signals indoors too, over such large spaces.

Do you need a Wi-Fi booster?

One of the best determinants of whether a Wi-Fi booster is a good investment is the current wifi coverage in your space. In case you realize that diverse areas in your business premises or home have really weak wireless fidelity or the connection doesn’t reach, then such a wi-fi extender is a great gadget. It saves you from purchasing extra cables or more expensive networking gear including switches and hubs. 

With the Wi-Fi booster, your current wireless coverage will be what is enhanced. At end of the day, the transmission will be stronger as the reception is bounced across more spaces. This gives more people around you the chance to enjoy their gaming devices, play online games or work on internet-connected projects in many areas in a building or home.

Note that the poor connection can be due to either the router being out of range in specific rooms or obstruction brought about by various objects or structures such as furniture or thick walls. They actually interfere with the coverage by getting in the way. With a Wi-Fi booster, the problem is eliminated as the wireless transmission is captured from the access point or router and transmitted into the wireless device. 

What do you need to use a Wi-Fi booster?

For perfect use of any Wi-Fi booster, it is paramount that you have a working broadband wi-fi Internet connection. Though it can be a really weak connection, it should be there. An access point or wireless router will already exist if this is the case. The access point integration with the router can be pre-existing or can be done easily by just connecting to an existing wired network in case there's one. 

How does the Wi-Fi booster work?

To purchase the most ideal Wi-Fi booster for use at home or in your business premises know how it works first. Essentially, a booster starts working once it has established a connection between the router or access point and your wireless device such as a laptop or cell phone with wi-fi turned on. For instance, to use the web connection on your cell phone without using a lot of data in your allotted data package, it would be wise to turn the access point or router on. The transmission is immediately sent by the router. If it doesn’t reach your device like a tablet in some corner, a wi-fi booster will help with such a situation.

The transmission is captured by the booster and returned or pushed into your cell phone with wi-fi feature turned on. The wireless sends booster the information before the router receives the transmission. After the router has accepted the information, it relays it to the web servers. Having completed this, the process begins once again. 

The swiftness of the process actually depends on the router and type of Wi-Fi booster you have selected and each booster’s standard. For example the common standard most Wi-Fi reception boosters have is a Wireless N (802.11n). This supports a maximum of 300 Mbps network bandwidth. Per se, the standard provides an excellent speed and range and also very interference resistant in its coverage. 

Other wireless standards exist, with the 802.11ac being one of the newest generation standards allowing a Wi-Fi booster to support the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands. It also provides a 450 Mbps bandwidth for 2.4 GHz band and 1300 Mbps for the 5 GHz band. Of course the 802.11ac and 802.11n standards can be interfered with in the process lowering their bandwidth. At the same time, the internet provider can also limit the speed thus preventing the standards from hitting their top potential. 

Are WiFi repeaters and WiFi extenders the same?

It is obvious that both Wi-Fi extender and Wi-Fi repeaters are similar in many respects. But they are different in their behaviour. A WiFi extender performs by pulling the reception from a router before relaying it to a device. While doing this, it is not transmitting the coverage using the same type of network name as the initial wireless network. For instance, if original or initial network is known as “WirelessNet1” the booster will produce a new network name such as “WirelessNet2’. For your device to connect to the internet as desired, it must connect to “WirelessNet2”. 

On other hand, the Wi-Fi repeater will work in slightly different manner. The repeater works by repeating the signal received even as the transmission is relayed to a wireless device. It means you will be using a similar wireless network ID as you initially began with. It is also worth noting that lots of boosters actually come with the option of using a Wi-Fi extender as a Wi-Fi repeater. Depending on the Wi-Fi booster it might be as easy as changing the settings allowing you to use a single SSID or network name. You can also find a WiFi extender allowing for multiple SSIDs or network names with unique and separate passes. 

Wi-Fi reception booster features.

As you might already know, each Wi-Fi booster is unique in terms of features. There’re convenient features to check out though, such as the WPS button. Typically, the WPS button makes it easy to connect a router and the booster with just a button push. This ensures a complicated installation is not required. The router and extender will have to be in the same room if the WPS feature will work, though. 

Other features are offered and depend on what kind of Wi-Fi extender or booster you are looking for. They include enjoyable features such as power buttons, reset buttons multiple ports for Ethernet and status lights and USB ports.

What are the Wi-Fi booster placement needs?

A reception booster depending on its nature could require being plugged into wall outlets, placed on flat surfaces or mounted on walls. Wi-Fi boosters plugged into walls easily blend in with their surroundings, such as an office or home. No cables are needed and their unobtrusive nature means they can be placed virtually anywhere close to an outlet including kitchens and hallway spaces. Flat surface Wi-Fi boosters need a flat surface and limited in terms of placement since they need a wall outlet close by. Wall-mounted Wi-Fi boosters provide the benefits of both a flat surface and wall plugged boosters; they can easily be placed on a wall and placement can be just about any place you like.

Ethernet ports.

The number of Ethernet ports on a Wi-Fi booster has its advantages and you should check to see how many the booster comes with. Some might have one while others offer even five. The main reason of a Wi-Fi booster is producing a wireless coverage beyond the typical range of the router. Having more than one Ethernet port is great when using such devices as gaming consoles that are stationary yet beyond the router's range. You will have the option of connecting the devices to the booster for the most reliable throughput rate of data. In case the Wi-Fi booster has a few ports, getting transmission with stationary devices could be hard.

Antennas.

The Wi-Fi booster’s antennas help rebroadcast and capture the reception that the router, your cellular device or wireless access point produces. Virtually all the Wi-Fi boosters come with two antennas. While one transmits, the other broadcasts the signal.  Some have three antennas though where one captures the wireless transmission while the other two antennas are used to broadcast the captured reception further from the Wi-Fi booster. As a result, the range is increased. Antennas on the booster can either be internal or external. Note that antennas are also critical in helping to boost performance in other ways such as counterbalancing interferences.   

Booster range increase.

Range increase in a Wi-Fi booster determines the reach of the wireless transmission.  In case the living room and the kitchen are 300 feet apart and the wireless coverage is only 150 feet - A Wi-Fi booster will help to bridge the difference. In case the Wi-Fi booster doesn't completely cover an entire distance, there will be some “dead zone” created where no wireless devices can be used to connect to the internet. 

This is why it is important to know the range of the Wi-Fi booster you have decided to take home. Most come with a 300 feet average range increase while others even have thousands of feet range increase. Of course some have as little as 100 feet range increase. 

Security of Wi-Fi booster.

The Wi-Fi booster security is quite guaranteed. It is usually not different from the same security level that typical Wi-Fi routers provide, such as WPA2, WPA and WEP among others. 

Water and Wi-Fi booster.

Wireless fidelity transmission is highly hampered by water. Any source of water at the office or home can bring about a poor wireless connection. Water as a dense matter diminishes wireless coverage transmissions considerably. Even a person standing between a wireless device and a Wi-Fi booster can make the transmission to drop; the human body has lots of water. It means you can remove or switch things that could interfere with the reception such as flower pots, fountains, aquariums and furniture where people become an interference if they are in the way of the Wi-Fi amplifier and cellular devices. Alternatively, you can actually get a weatherproof Wi-Fi booster to use even in your garden. 

How to complete a Wi-Fi booster installation.

A Wi-Fi booster is not hard to install. Find a location that receives the Wi-Fi network already present and connect the power supply. Through your laptop, log into the Wi-Fi booster and add the login details, including the password of your present Wi-Fi network. This will allow the Wi-Fi booster to extend after connecting.

In a nutshell, the Wi-Fi booster solution is great for:

• Mariners:For connecting to on-shore internet connection wirelessly for better wireless internet on a yacht or boat.
• Home use:Extending Wi-Fi inside a living space or backyard.
• Office:Connecting internet connection and network in different rooms or spaces in a place of work.
• Outdoor application:Perfect for extending the wireless internet in such places as a camp ground.

Note that Wi-Fi booster installation takes just a few minutes. It gives your home or office perfect Wi-Fi coverage. Remember that the best way of placing the WiFi extender is halfway between that area where the Wi-Fi puzzlingly disappears, known as the dead zone, and the router. As such, your bandwidth and signal strength boosting will be immediate and will be pointed to the spot that is not getting reliable Wi-Fi. In the process, the Wi-Fi repeater or booster will expand the network coverage allowing your computers, Tablets and Smartphones to remain connected with decreased interference.